Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
Instruction in Functional Assessment, 2014a
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<strong>Instruction</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Functional</strong> <strong>Assessment</strong> Chapter 6<br />
and were provided with feedback for answers along with the other knowledge components<br />
until mastery was achieved. Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g was tailored to the component taught with performance<br />
feedback provided to participants when conduct<strong>in</strong>g FAn conditions. The researchers<br />
used a concurrent multiple-basel<strong>in</strong>e design across participants to evaluate the tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g program.<br />
Participants acquired the skills at a near-perfect accuracy with generalization across<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g stimuli and 3 month ma<strong>in</strong>tenance occurr<strong>in</strong>g. Some limitations noted <strong>in</strong> this study<br />
were that participants’ application of procedures to actual client behaviors was not assessed.<br />
Additionally, the gamut of cl<strong>in</strong>ical skills were not addressed, such as ethical issues, def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
target behavior, and identify<strong>in</strong>g a measurement system. Nonetheless, Chok et al.’s (2012)<br />
study provides a good example of how a systematic and comprehensive method can be used<br />
to teach the complex conglomeration of skills necessary for professionals to apply a FA<br />
method.<br />
A New Proposed <strong>Instruction</strong>al Approach:<br />
<strong>Functional</strong> Analysis Case-based Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
(FACT)<br />
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS CASE-BASED TRAINING (FACT) may be an effective method to<br />
teach a comprehensive set of skills required to perform functional analysis (Desrochers,<br />
2012). A FACT method <strong>in</strong>corporates a case-based learn<strong>in</strong>g approach, role play, simulation,<br />
and performance-based feedback as major <strong>in</strong>structional methodologies to establish and<br />
hone college students’ knowledge-base and skills required to implement a FA process. Students<br />
are given brief descriptions of cases described <strong>in</strong> published research to draw upon for<br />
realistic and cl<strong>in</strong>ically validated approaches to solv<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>dividual’s challeng<strong>in</strong>g behavior.<br />
Based on primary source material, effective assessment methods and <strong>in</strong>tervention outcomes<br />
can be identified and reviewed as a group exercise. Both perform<strong>in</strong>g the functional analysis<br />
conditions, us<strong>in</strong>g role play, and employ<strong>in</strong>g the decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g skills to arrive at an effective<br />
behavior <strong>in</strong>tervention plan are practiced by the student <strong>in</strong> simulated cl<strong>in</strong>ically-relevant<br />
situations with empirically-validated results.<br />
FACT Components<br />
The major FACT <strong>in</strong>structional components embedded <strong>in</strong> this learn<strong>in</strong>g activity <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
students work<strong>in</strong>g collaboratively to solve and re-enact problem situations for <strong>in</strong>dividuals<br />
<strong>in</strong> cl<strong>in</strong>ical/school/home sett<strong>in</strong>gs. The case examples are drawn from published research to<br />
provide realistic characteristics of <strong>in</strong>dividuals and their assessment and treatment data.<br />
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